Kamila Mejia Lay | San Pedro Sula, Honduras

My guest is Kamila Mejia Lay, a fourth-year undergraduate student at Duke Kunshan University, where she studies Political Economy with a focus on Public Policy.

Originally from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Kamila is interested in politics, community service, corporate social responsibility, and nonprofit work. She is deeply motivated to improve the education sector in her home country and increase access to quality education across Honduras.

Among Central American countries, Honduras invests the highest percentage of its GDP in education. Despite this, it continues to have some of the region’s lowest literacy rates, largely due to misallocation of funds, lack of transparency, and corruption. Kamila believes meaningful change is necessary—and that education must be the foundation of that change.

Because of high dropout rates, many students in Honduras do not remain in school past the sixth grade. Teenagers often leave school to help support their families, whether by working or assisting with family businesses. This pattern frequently spans generations, reinforcing cycles in which children follow the same paths as their parents. Kamila believes that with increased resources, stronger institutions, and improved access to education, long-term change is possible.

Kamila lives by the motto: “You already have the no—you never know if you’re going to get the yes.”

The no is already there, why not search for the yes? 

“The key is to be happy with what you have while always hoping for more.”
—Kamila